Typographical composing machines



Nov. 8, 1955 1.. ROSSETTO ET AL TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES TN UME Q A 1 N l N S R t wo T e Dun-B e N H ,A h I Q 8 M I I w M e e h S 6 Original Filed Sept. 1950 Nov. 8, 1955 ROSSETTO ET AL 2,723,023

TYPOGRAPHICAL com osxuc MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1955 V ossETTo ET AL 2,723,023

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 lliiiiil I I l FIG. 3

INVENTORS. LOUIS ROSSETTO PAUL HILPMAN WILLIAM B. ABBOTT ATTORNEYS 1955 L. ROSSETTO ETAL TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES- 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Sept. 9, 1950 FIG. '5

INVENTORS LOUIS ROSSETTO lllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllll L PAUL HILPMAN WILLIAM B. ABBOTT FIG. 4

, Q zw ORNEYS 1 Nov. 8, 1955 L. ROSSETTO ET AL 2,7 3

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 9. 1950 6 Sheets-Sheei 5 FIG. 6

IN VEN TORS. LOUIS ROSSETTO PAUL HILPMAN WILLIAM BABBOTT ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1955 ROSSETTO ET AL 2,723,023

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 9, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS. LOUIS ROSSETTO PAUL LPMAN WlLLI B. ABBOTT OK M w AT ORNEYS United States Patent 2,723,023 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 doc TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINES Louis Rossetto, Kings Point, Paul Hilpman, Garden City,

and William B. Abbott, Springfield Gardens, N. Y., assignors to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Original application September 9, 1950, Serial No. 184,072. Divided and this application March 23, 1953, Serial No. 344,034

8 Claims. (Cl. 199-23) This application is a division from pending application Serial No. 184,072, filed September 9, 1950. Said application is directed to an improved typographical composing, casting and distributing machine specially designed for high speed operation.

The present invention is particularly applicable to that machine, although it is equally applicable to other machines.

As one feature of the invention, practically the entire matrix assembling mechanism is mounted in a hinged supporting frame which may be swung from and to its operative position at will, notonly to give access to the interior parts of the mechanism, but also to give complete access to an auxiliary reed supporting frame which is detachably connected to the fixed machine frame so that the entire bank of reeds may be removed as a unit.

Since the line resistant finger against which the matrices are composed in the assembler elevator is slidably mounted in the hinged supporting frame, the assembler elevator must first be raised to remove it from the path of travel of the line resistant finger before the frame is swung to inoperative position. Hence, as another feature of the invention, safety means are provided to prevent the unlocking of the hinged supporting frame when the assembler elevator is in its line composing position, such safety means, in addition, being employed to support the assembler elevator in its raised position after the hinged supporting frame has been unlocked and swung from its operative position.

In the improved machine, the escapement reeds are movable upwardly across the path of movement of the magazines to actuate the escapements and then downwardly out of the magazine path. On occasions, a reed may become lodged in its raised position or fail to move downwardly back to its normal position and. for this reason, as a further feature of the invention, automatic means are provided to depress any such offending reed prior to the shifting of the magazines. In the present instance, the usual matrix feeler member, which must be moved across the discharge end of the active magazine before any magazine shifting can take place, is utilized to effect the reed depression.

Ordinarily, the star wheel which advances the matrices into the assembler elevator during line composition is operated through a train of gearing between the star wheel drive shaft and the drive shaft for the lower pulley for the assembling belt. According to another feature of the invention, this usual gear train has been replaced by a toothed pulley and a toothed belt drive for the star wheel, not only to insure the proper relative speeds of the assembling belt and the star wheel, but also for quieter operation of the parts at the intended high speeds.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the assembling mechanism with the cover plate of the assembler entrance removed, showing the hinged mounting of the various assembling parts;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing. in particular the keyboard connections for releasing matrices from the magazine in use;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear elevation of the driving mechanism for the star wheel;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, showing in particular the removable mounting, of the escapement actuating reeds as well as other details; and

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail sectional views taken on the lines 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9 of Fig. 6.

While the machine could be equipped with a single magazine, it is herein shown with two magazines A con.- taining matrices X of two different fonts. These magazines are desirably of the so-called Model 5 variety, which means that they do not carry escapements. The magazines are removably mounted upon separate base frames which conjointly constitute a shift frame which may be raised and lowered to bring either magazine into operative position. It may be noted at this point that the inclination of the magazines is seventy degrees from the horizontal, this being a steep inclination as compared to the normal inclination of about thirty-seven degrees (37) in standard machines. By increasing. the angle of inclination of the magazines, the travel of. the matrices from and to the magazines will be greatly accelerated.

Each of the magazines A has associated therewith a bank of escapements B independently supported in the corresponding base frame. These escapements, being of the Model 5 type, have actuating slides B whose nose portions are arranged substantially flush with the dischargeend of the magazine. Due to the steep inclination of the magazines, the actuating slides B of the magazine in operative position are arranged to be engaged directly by the upper ends of a corresponding series of reeds B whose lower ends are likewise arranged to be engaged directly by the usual power-operated keyboard slides B is provided with upper and lower comb plates B to guidethe reeds in their upward and downward movements and also near the top with a banking bar B which supports the reeds in their downward position. Springs B attached to the lower comb plate, act to return the reeds to their lower position after they have been raised by the keyboard slides B to operate the matrix releasing escapements.

The detachable mounting of the reed supporting frame is best shown in Fig. 6. There it will be seen that the frame is supported at its lower end and at opposite sides by means of slotted lugs B arranged to fit over supporting studs B projecting inwardly from brackets B attached to the fixed machine frame. The lugs B are provided at the upper ends of their slots with adjustable set screws B which locate the frame in a vertical direction; and the brackets B (see Fig. 8) are provided with adjustable set screws B which locate the frame in a transverse direction. At its upper end and at opposite sides, the reed frame is provided with a pair of thumb screws B mounted in adjustable thimbles B on ears B projecting laterally from the reed frame (Fig. 7). At their rear ends, the thumb screws are threaded into sockets formed in brackets B projecting laterally from the fixed machine frame. As will be apparent from the drawing, by loosening the thumb. screws B the reed frame can be quickly detached from the brackets 18 and then lifted upwardly from the supporting studs B In restoring the frame, its slotted lugs B are located into place upon the supporting studs B and the thumb screws B then tightened up to attach the frame to the fixed brackets B The adjustable thimbles B serve to locate the reed frame in a facewise direction' and with the reeds B in proper vertical alignment with the escapement actuating plungers B Reverting to the power-operated keyboard slides B they are mounted in a separate supporting frame B which, as usual, is arranged to be swung from and to its operative position in the fixed machine frame. The frame B also contains (Fig. 2) the customary power mechanism for operating the slides B consisting of the pivoted cam yokes B the rotary cams B (which make one complete rotation at each matrix releasing operation), the continuously driven rolls B for operating the cams B the triggers B controlling the operation of the cam yokes, and the trigger actuating slides B. These trigger actuating slides B may be operated manually from a keyboard or automatically by a tape control.

As the matrices are released from the active magazine, they fall into a vertically disposed assembler entrance C comprising, as usual, a back plate, a hinged front plate, and intermediate partition plates providing vertical channels for guiding the matrices in their fall. As the matrices issue from the entrance channels, they pass onto the upper stretch of an inclined continuously moving assembling belt C passing around a lower driving pulley C and an upper adjustable idler pulley C The assembling belt discharges the matrices, one by one, through a guide chute C and in front of a continuously rotating star wheel C which stacks them in line in an assembler elevator C against a yielding line resistant finger C The finger C is carried by a long slide C which is provided with a stop element C set to control the length of the line to be composed; and a double brake mechanism C cooperating with the slide C serves to prevent retrograde movement of the slide until the brake is released by the upward movement of the assembler elevator in forwarding the line for casting or otherwise released.

The lower pulley belt C is attached to a drive shaft C (Figs. 4 and 5) which carries a fast pulley C and a loose pulley C The driving belt C may be shifted, in the usual way, from one pulley to the other by a belt shifter C operated by a hand knob C located at the front of the machine. Also attached to the drive shaft C is a toothed pulley C which is connected by a toothed belt C to a larger toothed pulley C frictionally connected to the drive shaft C for the star wheel C the driving ratio of the two pulleys C and C being 2 to l. Ordinarily, the star wheel is driven by gearing on the drive shaft 0, and the toothed pulley and toothed belt drive herein provided has been substituted, not only to insure the proper relative speeds of the assembling belt and of the star wheel, but also for quieter operation of the parts at the high speeds indicated. The toothed driving belt C is preferably made of wire reinforced rubber or rubberized fabric.

All of the assembling elements thus far described, according to the present invention, are mounted upon and carried by an auxiliary supporting frame C which is hinged at the right to the fixed machine frame for a forward swinging movement. Two hinges C one at the bottom and the other at the top of the frame, will sufiice, although to support the frame at the left it is provided with a lug C which, in the closed position of the frame, will rest upon a shelf C on the fixed machine frame (see Fig. 6). By being mounted on the auxiliary supporting frame C practically the entire assembling mechanism may be swung from and to its operative position at will, not only to give access to the interior parts of such mechanism, but also to give complete access to the auxiliary reed supporting frame B which consequently may be freely removed in the open position of the swinging frame C In this connection, however, it may be noted that the assembler elevator C should be raised high enough to clear the line resistant C which, like the other elements of the assembling mechanism, is carried by the frame.

The swinging frame C is held in its closed position by means of a rotary lock C (Figs. 1 and 6) mounted on the fixed machine frame and adapted to engage in a slot former in the end of the frame (see Fig. 4). As a safety feature, the lock is formed with an eccentric C fitted into an elongated slot formed in the upper end of a centrally pivoted latch C In the active position of the frame lock, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the latch will stand clear of the assembler elevator C to permit its normal movements but if the operator attempts to turn the lock to its frame releasing position without firs raising the assembler elevator, the safety latch will ke against a part of the elevator and prevent the turning of the lock. However, once the elevator has been raised clear of the line resistant finger C the safety latch is free to move and consequently will permit the turning of the frame lock for the release of the frame. in fact, such movement of the latch by the frame lock is relied upon to cause the latch to hold the assembler elevator in its raised position, it being noted that the latch by the turning of the eccentric C will be swu to the left at its lower end and thus placed in position .0 intercept the downward path of the elevator. in this way, the opening of the assembling mechanism frame is prevented unless and until the assembler elevator is first moved upwardly clear of the line resistant, thus avoiding any damage to the parts. Since the safety latch maintains the elevator in its raised position, the frame is free to be swung back into place at any time so long as the frame lock remains in its frame releasing position.

It perhaps should be noted that the swinging movement of the frame C is in no way interfered with by the driving connections for the assembling belt C and the star wheel C By reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 6, it will be noted that the drive belt C before referred to, passes over a pair of guide pulleys C which are located immediately adjacent the axis of the hinges C The belt C is driven from a pulley O mounted on the socalled intermediate shaft 0 which is continuously rotated by a motor driven belt 0.

The machine is equipped, as usual, with a lower matrix feeler P arranged to be moved across the lower or discharge end of the active magazine to detect the presence of any matrices protruding therefrom. The feeler is operated by a hand lever P located at the front of the machine and fast to a shaft P having a crank arm P connected to a centrally pivoted lever P which in turn is connected by links E to the feeler.

As another safety feature, means are provided to depress any of. the escaperncnt reeds B in the event that they become lodged in their upper escapement operating position at a time when an attempt is made to raise or lower the magazines. This is accomplished by the use of a depressor bar Q fast to the rock shaft P to which the hand lever P is connected. Hence, each time the hand lever P is depressed, it will operate the depressor bar and restore any raised escapemcnt reed to its proper position. The depressor bar Q acts upon a plate Q supported in the reed frame and which, when the depressor bar is operated, engages the lower walls of notches Q formed in the reeds B Normally the plate Q is held in its uppermost position by springs Q also carried by the reed frame, stops Q" likewise carried by the reed frame serving to limit the upward movement of the plate Q The various improvements have been shown and described in preferred form and merely by way of example, and obviously many variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not to be limited to any specific form or arrangement except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of an assembling mechanism mounted on a hinged frame for movement from and to its operative position, an assembler elevator in which the matrices are composed in line and which is mounted independently of said frame, a lock to hold the hinged frame in its operative position, and a safety device controlled by the assembler elevator to prevent the release of said lock when the elevator is in its composing position and to permit the release of said lock when the elevator is raised from said position.

2. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of an assembling mechanism, including a line resistant finger, mounted on a hinged frame for movement from and to its operative position, an assembler elevator in which the matrices are composed in line and which is mounted independently of said frame, a lock to hold the hinged frame in its operative position, and a safety device controlled by the assembler elevator to prevent the release of said lock when the elevator is in its composing position, said safety device being rendered inactive when the elevator is raised far enough above its composing position to clear the line resistant finger.

3. A combination according to claim 2, wherein the safety device in the raised position of the assembler elevator is operable by the swinging frame lock and comprises an element engageable with the elevator to hold it in its raised position until the lock is restored to locking position.

4. In a typographical composing machine equipped with an assembler entrance comprising front and back plates and intermediate partition plates, an inclined assembling belt arranged at the lower end of said entrance to receive the matrices passing therefrom, a matrix guide chute arranged at the delivery end of the assembling belt, a star wheel arranged below the matrix guide chute to act upon the matrices as they issue therefrom, means for driving the assembling belt and star wheel, a line resistant against which the matrices are stacked by the star wheel, and a brake mechanism cooperating with the line resistant, the combination therewith of a first auxiliary supporting frame upon which all of said elements are mounted, a series of main escapement actuating reeds arranged behind and occupying substantially the whole area of said first auxiliary frame, a second auxiliary frame wherein the escapement reeds are mounted, means for detachably connecting said second auxiliary frame to the fixed machine frame, and means for hingedly mounting the first auxiliary frame in the fixed machine frame, said hinge mounting means being disposed to one side of the second auxiliary frame and permitting the first auxiliary frame to be swung forwardly into a position entirely clear of the second auxiliary frame, whereby the latter with the contained escapement reeds may be freely removed from the front of the machine.

5. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of an assembling mechanism mounted on a hinged frame for movement from and to its operative position, an assembler elevator in which the matrices are composed in line and which is mounted in the fixed machine frame, a retractable lock to hold the frame in its operative position, and a movable latch connected to the lock and serving to permit or prevent its retraction, said latch being held against lock releasing movement by engagement with the assembler elevator when the latter is in its composing position.

6. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of an assembling mechanism mounted on a hinged frame for movement from and to its operative position, an assembler elevator in which the matrices are composed in line and which is mounted in the fixed machine frame, a retractable lock to hold the frame in its operative position, and a movable latch connected to the lock and serving to permit or prevent its retraction, said latch being held against lock releasing movement by engagement with the assembler elevator when the latter is in its composing position but freed for lock releasing movement by the assembler elevator when the latter is raised a given distance above its composing position.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the latch when freed by the assembler elevator is moved by the retraction of the frame lock into position to hold the elevator in its raised position until the lock is restored to its locking position.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein the latch is mounted in the fixed machine frame and permits the swinging frame to be moved from operative position when the assembler elevator is held by the latch in its raised position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 889,231 Holburns et al. June 2, 1908 1,193,559 Kennedy Aug. 2, 1916 1,443,434 Rogers Jan. 30, 1923 2,051,803 Ackerman Aug. 25, 1936 2,079,200 Burt May 4, 1937 2,397,312 Forrest Mar. 26,. 1946 

